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Trap Pond State Park

33587 Baldcypress Lane Laurel, DE 19956

year-round 8 a.m. to sunset

$$

camping, hikes, water-activities, bike-trails, playground

So Much to Do at This State Park! 

Trap Pond State Park is a 3,653 acre state park located near Laurel, DE.  The location puts you in the middle of an amazingly diverse menu of family friendly activities that should suit just about everyone in your group.  The park itself is one of the largest sections of what was once an expansive wetland. A trip on the pond by canoe, kayak, paddle board, rowboat or paddle boat (all available for rent at very reasonable prices) will reveal patches of bald cypress trees that you won’t find in many other places.  The pond is beautiful, and boating is a must, but there’s no swimming allowed.

A tour of any of the plethora of hikable and bikable trails accessible from the park will reveal a wide variety of flora and fauna.  In addition to the bald cypress you can find plenty of American Holly, the state tree of Delaware.  We were fortunate enough to spot great blue herons, warblers, woodpeckers and even a bald eagle soaring over the pond from the park’s nature center.

Our favorite trail is for families is the Bob Trail. It’s accessible from many points in the park including the nature center. It provides a relatively smooth and flat surface, perfect for biking with big kids or hiking with a toddler. The trail will also take you through some of the most scenic areas of the park as well as the Nature Center and boat rental facility on site. 

Be sure to visit the nature center where you find tons of information about the history of the region surrounding the park including facts about the local agriculture and the ponds transformation from lumber harvesting to protected recreation area.  The nature center also has live animal specimens exhibited such as local fish, snakes and turtles.  Check in with the ranger on duty to find out about activities and guided hikes.  (If you need a potty break while biking the Bob Trail, you can find restrooms at the Nature Center as well!) 

Fishing is permitted in the pond with a DE state fishing license. If you want to get an up-close look at some of the animals of Trap Pond, be sure to take advantage of the very reasonably priced boat rentals (kayaks, canoes, and row boats) next to the playground on the lake!

The camping is some of the best we’ve seen in any state.  There are 142 total campsites including 130 with water and electric hookups, 10 primitive tent sites, 8 cabins and 2 yurts.  The sites with hookups are available year-round while the tent sites are available from March 1 until November 30.  We visited in the dog days of summer, but the park is apparently known for its annual Halloween weekend festivities. 

The campground was extremely well maintained so if the quality of the bathrooms is your included in your rating system, you’ll find this spot should be rated highly.  The camp hosts were friendly and available for any questions or concerns.  Pets are allowed in designated camping loops but are prohibited in the nature center, bathhouses, pavilions and picnic areas.

If you need a break from the wilderness, the shops, restaurants and beaches of Delaware and MD are just an hour away.  Spend the day at your favorite DE or MD beach or check out Cape Henlopen State Park (free admission with your hang tag if you’re already camping in a DE state park like Trap Pond!) where you’ll find both bay and ocean beach access along with more hiking and biking trails to explore.

Visit the website to find more specific information about camping rates and site availability.

Features

Hiking Biking Boating Nature
Thoughtfully captured by:
The happyly team

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